Andrew's Battles
by MeGkAtHeRiNe
Summary: Emily's ex-husband is battling with her for their one year old's custody. How does Hotch fit into all of this? What will happen to poor little Andrew?
1. Chapter 1

Emily sighed as she watched her son run around the living room in front of her. She had been sitting on her couch, constantly laughing as her son made funny faces, or jumped up and down, making the cutest little gurgles, which he currently thought were words. But after awhile, it got old.

Emily got up off the couch and scooped her son into her arms, tickling his pudge of a tummy. "You ready for bed now?"

Her son shook his head, nuzzling his head in the crook of her neck. "Bah…goo."

Emily giggled slightly as she felt her son's lips vibrate against her neck. "Bagoo? That a new word?"

She watched as her son picked up his head and smiled, giggling at the smile on his mother's face. "Mama."

Emily's eyes widened as she nodded her head, a smile spreading across her face. "That's right. I'm Mama." She squealed as he nodded his head, and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Say it again."

"Mama!"

Emily nodded her head, smiling widely at her young son. "Yay! You said your first word!" She continued to cover her giggling baby with wet kisses before perching him on her hip. "You have no idea how cute you are, do you Andy?"

Andrew shook his head before pointing up the stairs, yawning fully. "Mama."

"Ok, we're gonna have to work on 'who' Mama is."

…

Emily smiled as she crawled into her bed, the cold air masked by the warmth of her comforter. She felt herself just about to drift off… when there was a knock at the door.

She groaned aloud before throwing the covers off of her, and slipping on her robe. She lazily trotted down the steps as she pulled her robe tight around her, before she opened the door. "If you're soliciting I am so gonna stick your head up your own-"

"Emily."

Emily's eyes widened before she pulled her robe as tight as it could be, feeling the pressure of the fabric suffocating her skin. "Ray. What are you doing here?"

Ray scratched a part of his blond head, before shoving his hand into his jacket pocket. "I needed to see you."

Emily shook her head, plastering a fake smile on her face. "Why? What is the point of coming to your ex-wife's house when she has work in the morning, and a one year old son sleeping upstairs." She crossed her arms under her breasts, her dark brown eyes smoldering into his light green ones. "Come to finally give me some of that child support you owe?"

Ray shook his head, handing an envelope out to her.

She snatched the envelope from his hand, looking the crisp white holder over. "What is it?"

"Something I should have done long ago."

…

Emily ran into the BAU bullpen with a crying Andrew in her arms. She didn't even take the time to set her briefcase at her desk before running up into her boss' office, ignoring the concerned looks of her colleagues.

"Prentiss?"

Emily shook her head, holding her crying son against her. "Hotch I need your help. Please."

Hotch nodded, setting down his pen before standing out of his chair. "What's wrong? What do you need help with?"

"You remember my ex-husband?"

He nodded again.

"He's trying to steal Andrew from me."

"What?"

Emily let a tear fall from her eye as she bounced her wailing son in her arms. "He's battling me for custody."


	2. Chapter 2

Hotch shook his head before making his way in front of Emily and her screeching son. "Emily, give me Andrew."

Emily handed her son to Hotch, who immediately began to clam him down.

"Now, what happened?"

She took a deep breath, feeling a lump in her throat as her tears fell. "Ray came over last night just before I was about to go to bed, and handed me this." She took the envelope out of her skirt pocket and held it out like she was afraid to hold it. "It says I'm an unfit parent and he wants full custody."

Hotch took the envelope and opened it, handing Andrew back to his mother.

"Ms. Prentiss, in order of every courthouse in West Virginia and Washington D.C, your son, Andrew James Prentiss will be removed from your custody and into the custody of the state. You are due in court on the first of December, to fight for your son's custody. You will be fighting against your ex-husband, and Andrew's father, Raymond Carlos Santana, for your son's custody. If you do not show to the first hearing, custody will immediately be granted to your ex-husband. I am sorry to inform you that with your job and the allegations against your parenting skills, I do not see a good chance for you. Sign your name at the bottom and send back to the address on the back of the envelope. Thank you, and we'll see you in court."

Hotch looked up to a crying Emily, and her son. Andrew was an exact replica of Emily herself. He had dark brown hair, almost black. His eyes were just a tad lighter than hers, but still a smoldering brown. His skin wasn't as pale, but it was close. He was hers.

"Emily-"

She shook her head, looking up from her now calm son. "I need your help." She stepped forward, bringing the space between them shorter in distance. "Please, Hotch. You're my best friend, and if I want someone with me at the stand, I want you."

Hotch watched as she tried to calm her crying in front of him. He knew how she hated to seem weak, but with her son on the line, it was hard to remain calm.

Hotch took her into a hug, feeling her one free arm wrap around his waist. He kissed both her and her son on their foreheads, before wrapping them tight in his arms. "I'll be there. I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

Hotch watched as Emily played with her giggling son on his office couch. He was sitting at his desk, his pen stiff in his hand as he watched a now happy Emily across from him.

She was sitting next to her son, swinging her keys in front of his tiny face.

Andrew began clapping his hands and giggling, smiling at his mother before paying attention to the keys that dangled from her fingers.

Emily quickly wiped Andrew's mouth to get rid if his spittle before smiling up at Hotch. "Wanna see what he can do?"

Hotch smiled before nodding his head.

Emily sat her son on her lap to face Hotch. "Andy, can you do what you did yesterday? Say mommy."

"Mama."

Both Emily and Hotch shared a wide smile before looking back to Andrew, who was playing with his mothers keys. "Say it again, sweetie."

Andrew turned his head and looked up at his mother before shaking the keys in the air. "Mama!"

Emily smiled up at Hotch before hugging her son to her chest, his back against her stomach. "How cute is that?"

Hotch smiled at her before standing and kneeling in front of them. He watched as Andrew dropped the keys onto the leather couch, and clapped his hands together, smiling down at him.

"How are you Andrew?"

Andrew smiled widely, showing the spaced between his grown-in teeth. "Mama!"

Hotch let out a chuckle as Emily kissed her son's head of hair. "Do you love your mama Andy?"

"Mama!"

Hotch looked up to Emily who began kissing Andrew everywhere visible. "Let's take that as a yes."

Emily looked up to him with teary eyes, her arms clutching her son. "Aaron I can't lose him. He's what keeps me going through everything. I need him with me." She let out a shaky sigh as she shook her head. "I can't imagine what will happen when he gets taken away from me. I wont be myself. I can't." She gave her giggling son another kiss before looking up at her best friend. "I love him to much."

Hotch stared up at the sad woman, before sitting beside her on the couch. He took her free hand in his, making her look into his eyes. "Emily I want you to listen to me." She slowly nodded, letting her slowly tiring son lay against her chest. "I will do whatever I can to let your child have you in his life. I see how happy you are everyday and I know that I can help. You know I've never lost a case, and I don't think I'm going to start now. I want you to know I love you and your son so much, and I will not let Ray take him fro you. I promise."

Emily held back her tears as she gave him a small smile, pulling him into a full on hug, unconsciously trapping her son between them. "You're the best friend I've ever had."

She pulled back and stood, perching her sleeping son on her hip. When he stood, she gave him a big smile. "And I love you too."

…

A/N - Now if anyone's confused, not a romantic 'I love you', but a friendly 'I love you'.


	4. Chapter 4

Emily set her son down in his playpen before walking back into the kitchen. She ran over to the stove and turned it off before pouring the hot water from the kettle into her mug. She let out a full groan when she heard the doorbell ring.

"I got it Em!"

Emily turned her head to see Hotch running from the staircase to the door and smiled to herself. "Thank you!" She shook her head as her smile stayed plastered to her face, her fingers holding the spoon that was mixing the sugar with her tea. When there was a knock on the doorway of the kitchen, she looked up.

"Is everything ok? Who was it?"

Hotch looked at her with slightly worried eyes before walking over to her. "It's Ray. Do you want me to say you're sick?"

Emily's eyes widened before she shook her head. "No. I need to talk to him."

"I'll be right here when you do."

Emily smiled before kissing Hotch on the cheek. She grabbed her mug before walking out of the kitchen and to the door, seeing Ray with his hands shoved into his pockets. "What are you doing here?"

Ray gestured inside before looking towards his ex. "I came to see Andy. You mind?"

"Yes I do. I don't want you seeing him right now."

"Why?"

Emily's eyes hardened as she heard the TV go on. "Why? You gave me a court date to see if my son would be taken away from me. The state is taking him away in two days, and keeping him until the 'trial' is over. I don't want you near him. You don't deserve to be his father."

Ray groaned before shoving one of his hands through his hair. "I just want to see him. Please?"

"No."

"Emily-"

"No, you listen to me. I want to spend my last days with him without you here. Because of you, I may never see my son again. So you can fuck off until court."

Ray wasn't allowed another word as the door slammed in his face. Emily turned to see Hotch playing with her son in the living room, and it made her eyes grow teary.

"Em?"

Emily's eyes looked over to Hotch, who had a smiling Andrew in his lap. "Yeah?" Her voice was husky as he tears blocked her vision.

"Are you alright?"

Emily shook her head as she walked over to the living room, sitting next to Hotch, her fingers running through her son's hair. "I will be."


End file.
